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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. ground — the earth
  3. object — to protest
  4. plane — a tool
  5. object — an aim
  6. field — for sport
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. ground — a position
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. game — a match
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. game — wild animals
  18. ground — crushed
  19. object — a thing
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. scale — size or range
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. field — farmland

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com